Wichita eagle., 1887-12-13
-zsaSAllls
9ai1u Ea9le
ABOUT PAPER MONEY.
FRACTIONAL. CURRENCY IN DEMAND
AT TWENTY TIMES FACE VALUE.

~ WE-N llmGS FAOG fNLOIs
But Little Profit in Holding On 60 Con
rency-Issues of State Paper in Demand
by Collectors.
''If any of the holders Of confederate
money hope that it will eventually reach
par, or anything like It, as a curiosity,
they Will have long time to wait, said
a veteran coin collector ''The Continen-
tai currency issued by authority Of The
congress of the United States sells today
that is. a considerable quantity Ct il
dOes-at less than cent on the dollar of
face value The $50 bill issued under
resolution of May 10 1T5, can now be
bought for p cents. The 50 bill OF the
same date is also worth p cents. In
other words, the face value of the bill has
10 relation whatever to its value as q
curiosity.
Probably the nearest that any CONT
mental currency known to be for sale 1T
all comes to per is ia the case Of the 81
and s. bills printed under resolution Of
congress at Yorktown April II. 1?1S.
The S4 bin with d boar and spear brings
with hand and brush also 50 if in good
condition.
Certain very small bills, owing to com
parative rarity, bring more than some bills
OF very high denominations.
"a great many people have held on very
tenaciously TO the Continental currency. in
the expectation that it would he redeemed
at par, and every now and then somebody
sends or his collection to Washington
demanding payment. only to he met bv q
rebuff in scme form or another. Even
now the quantity Of Continental money
in the market is not ui1requently aug
mented from the hoard of some departed
veteran whose father or family may have
given full value for 1t in times long gone
by, and who has kept it sooner than part
with ii for song as q curiosity The
heirs, however, having a more practical
and less san@une view Of the subject. are
generally willing TO let the stuff go at COL
lectors' rates, and the garret or trunk that
has known it for so many years knows it
no more"
STATE ISSUES.
"How about the state issues or paper
money!
''They are of considerably more value.
as a rule, than the United States or Con-
tinental money, being much rarer, es
pecially il issued in the colonial period.
For instance q Connecticut five shilling
bill Of 1854 is worth So; Z one shilling and
threeDence OF the same date is worth the
same amount; a twopeacc Of f777 is worth
$3.50, and so forth. The Delaware bills,
many of which were printed by Franklin,
are more common and less costly. Georgia
issues are scarce and costly, Il 500 bin.
however, being worth lust the same as q
quarter Of a dollar-S2 One OF these.
which represents . tree forcing Q milestone
upward by its growth, is interesting and
suggestive, the motto also alludng TO the
growth OF the colonies, Notwithstanding
the oppression Of England. 1t would be
eminently appropriate, just at present, fo1
ireland. Maryland bills arc not SO rare.
"a claim for e3t0 against the common
wealth of Massachusetts, issued under
authority of that state in january, 1880,
can be purchased fOT the moderate sum of
So. The treasurer Of the commonwealth
would, however, doubtless refuse TO honor
1t II presented. On the other hand n
Massachusetts bill for twopcnce, with q
pillars and Goldfish design, but no beans, is
also worth 81 which illustrates more
plainly, perhaps, than any other COMPARE
son, how utterly the matter Of face value
is ignored in Revolutionary currency.
''Nev York money Of the revolution
brings quite fair figure, bill signed by
Abraham BrirckerhoT for half a Spanish
milled dollar, Sept. ., 1910, being worth
50. Indeed, with the exception of a few
80 and G1O issues, most New York money.
colonial ard revolutionary, is worth moro
than or about its face value. Interesting
issues are those OF the New York water
works, running from 1774 TO 171G inclu-
siye. As curiosities these bills arc worth,
in some cases more than in others. close
to the original value. As to present val
ues, the New York issues present favor
able contrast to those Of most other orici-
nal states.
INTERESTING READING.
For inscriptions North Carolina cur
rency takes the prize If King George
ever got hold Of any of the currency OF
that state it must have been interesting
reading. II is, however. rather calcu-
lated 10 arouse mixed feelings TO seeG SO
bill with the inscription American Union
Forever going for fifty cents, while a $40
bill reminds Americans OF the cost OF
cnampiOning Freedom OF Speech and Lib
erty OF the Press by scale Of Just $50.
"a Virginia bill Of $500 issued for
army clothes, Is worth only the moderate
sum OF s., while $500 bills Of the same
commonwealth, set aflO2c in 1880 bring
only fifty cents apiece. q Virginia 81. 900
bill Of i1S1 is rated Gt from 81 to $50,
and 3 s., eco bin Of the same year. but .
later issue, IS worth $3.50 to So. Virginia
appears 10 have cone IL mere heavily than
any othcr state on bills Of Large .denomi-
nctiCn-.
The worth Of Confederate money as a
curiosity, like thar Of Continental cur
rcncy, bears 20 relation to its face value.
The rCssessor @ one oI the very few
Confederate silver half dollars. struck off
about the beginning of the rebellion. rates
its value 1T Sl.G00 On the other hand,
Confederate $500 bill with 4 picture of
Stonew2n Jackson is worth Just twenty
five cents. A SlG0 bin with the head of
Alrs. jefferson DAVIS can be bought for
fifty cents. There is not a Confederate
bill in existence, whatever its face value.
worth more than 81 None ui the state